Power adjusting mechanism



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POWER ADJ USTING MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 21, .1942 7 Shgets-Sheet 2 Oct; 15, 1946. c. w. MOTT POWER ADJUSTING MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 21, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 P w k9 W0 M.

15, 19416. c. w. MOTT POWER ADJUSTING MECHANISM original Filed Nov. 21, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 15, 1946. c. w. MOTT POWER ADJUSTING MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 21, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Wm M c. w. o'r'r POWER ADJUSTING MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 21, 1942 Oct. 15, 1946.

7 Sheets-Shet e Oct. 15, 1946. c. w. MOTT 2,409,510

POWER ADJUSTING MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 21, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 yzwww fiarz 3 (5W0 Patented Oct. 15, 1946 2,4tih5l0 POWER ADJUSTING MECHANISM Carl W. Mott, La Grange, Ill., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Original application NovemberZl, 1942, Serial Divided and this application March 22, 1944, Serial No. 527,625 (01. 97-50) 5 Claims.

This invention relates to vehicle-mounted implements and, more particularly, to power-lifting and power-adjusting mechanism supplied with operating energy from a power plant associated with the vehicle. The present application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 466,463, filed November 21, 1942, for Power adjusting mechanism.

The general purpose of this invention is the provision of a mechanical organization for the practise of a new tillage technique. Vehicular tillage apparatus constructed according to the principles of this invention functions in a manner enabling an operator to manually control power derived from the vehicle power plant for positively controlling the working depth of a tillage tool both upwardly and downwardly coordinately with selective movement of a manual control member in respectively opposite directions. Such coordination between the direction and amount of movement of the manually'controlled'member and the direction and amount of depth adjustment of a tillage tool in a positive manner enables the operator to easily and uniformly control the tool depth in all kinds of soil. The apparatus is convenient for the operator, since irrespective of the character of the soil encountered, he can select the depth at which the tillage tool will be operated by the virtual effortless movement of a finger-pressed lever into a position corresponding to the desired depth. f Due cognizance istaken of certain priorart structures which employ manually controlled apparatus, which, by means of power derived from the vehicle engine, respond for mechanically controlling the depth. One example of this type of prior art is disclosed in the British Patent No. 19,419 (A. D. 1890). In the disclosure of this patent, water under pressure is selectively introduced into opposite ends of the cylinder of a reciprocable hydraulic motor piston for causing this motor to either lift or lower a tillage tool. However, the water is controlled in its flow to and from the motor cylinder by an ordinary slide valve which necessitates the manipulation of a valve control member from a neutral position for causing the water to drive the motor and the subsequent manual restorative manipulation of the control member to the neutral position for stopping the motor. The control lever and the motor work member or piston arenot correlated both in direction and amount of movement, wherefore atime, element is involved, namely, that the tillage tool will be raised or lowered, as the case may be, a distance depending upon the length of time the valve control member is displaced from the neutral position. Consequently, an operator of a vehicle having apparatus of this kind installed thereon must divert his attention from the course of the vehicle or other duties to observe the tools for ascertaining their effect while manipulating thevalve control lever for causing a change in their depth. The operator cannot judge the time the valve is left open with sufficient accuracy for assuring that the tools will be set or reset to a desired depth.

In the present apparatus where there is coordination both in direction and amount of movement'of the tools with respect tomanual control member manipulation, this member can be reset at any time for positive precise resetting of the tools. This type ofoperation has been found particularly useful where the apparatus is operated in fields having areas of relatively hard and soft soil. When, for example, the operator arrivesat the area of hardsoil which he desires to till at a greater depth, he can, from the experience of one or more previous excursions across that hard area, know the exact setting he willwant for the manual control member for obtaining the desired greatertool depth. He can therefore simply move the manual control lever to the desired positionwithout observing the tools. He may, of course, when subsequently convenient, observe the tools to see thatthe desired tillage eiiect is beingobtained, Since the apparatus functions to force the tools into the ground as well asto raise the-tools by means of power derived from the vehicle engine, the just described technique can be practised in all types of soil.

Cognizance has also been taken of the prior art Patents Nos. 2,118,180 and 2,118,181 to-I-Iarry G. Ferguson, which disclose related apparatus in which a manual control member functions to cause movement of the tillage tools only in an upward direction, but, since the responsive movement of the tools also depends upon the magnitude .of the. drawrbar pull, the depth adjustment of the tools while in the soil is not necessarily uniformly correlated with the movement of the control member. Also the Ferguson apparatus depends upon the weight and suction vofthe tools for causing them todig more deeply into the ground and for this further reason cannot be utilized for accomplishing the aforesaid purpose of the present apparatus.

This applicant is also aware of manually con-, trolled power apparatus employed in other arts to obtain powered movement of a driven member in either of opposite directions in an amount correlated in both direction and amount with the movement of an oppositely movable control member. Notable of such arts is hydraulic steering, and for an example, reference may be made to United States Patent No. 529,495 to Byron Jackson.

A further object of this invention is the provision, in a hydraulic system for controlling the elevation of a tillage tool, of valve means having variable delivery successively operable flow rate stages for controlling the energization and speed of th fluid-driven motor which changes the elevation of the tool, and wherein the flow rate in each stage is variable, making it possible to employ the stage of less flow capacity for obtaining small adjustments of the tool while it is in the soil-tilling position.

These and other desirable objects inherent in and encompassed by the invention will be more clearly understood upon reading the ensuing description with reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a tractor or tool-supporting structure with a working tool connected thereto and with the fluid-operated arrangement of the present invention arranged for moving the working tool;

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the intermediate housing of the tractor with a portion thereof cut away to show a fluid operated device and other parts of the fluid operated arrangement which are used therein;

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of the fluid operated device together with its valve mechanism;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view in elevation of the fluid operated device taken of the same side ex-' posed in Figure 2 but with a portion of its cylinder structure broken away to show the piston within the same;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view'of the fluid operated device looking in the direction opposite to that shown in Figure 2 and with a portion of the valve mechanism broken away for clarity, the view being taken generally along the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an unfolded view of the valve mechanism illustrating the flow of fluid therethrough pursuant to causing piston movement in one direction;

Figure 7 is a view similar to that of Figure 6 with the valve mechanism conditioned for directing the flow of fluid (indicated by the arrows) so as to cause the piston to move in the opposite direction;

Figure 8 is an unfolded view of the distributing head in the tractor intermediate housing, with lines illustrating the flow of fluid through the same;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken along the line Hi-l0 of Figure 8;

I Figure 11 is a fragmentary view in section of the distributing head of Figure 8, showing the bypass valve thereof.

With continued reference to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a tractor or tool supporting structure 2| of a character suitable for embodiment in the invention. This tractor includes a dirigible supporting truck at its forward end with wheels 22 and also includes traction wheels 23 which provide support at the rear.

Connected with the dirigible wheels .22. and 3X.-

by vertically extending pipes 5i and 52.

tending from an operators station 24 on the rearward portion of the tractor is a steering mechanism 25 for controlling the path of movement of the tractor. To the forward portion of the tractor is connected for vertical movement a working tool structure 26 having working tools 21 thereon. The connection of the working tool structure with the tractor is made by means of upper and lower parallel links 28 and 29 connected to a bracket structure 30 secured to the forward portion of the tractor by means of clamping bolts 38. On the bracket structure 30 is a lifting lever 32 pivoted for fore and aft movement and connected to the working tool structure 26 by means of a lift rod 33.

On the rear portion of the tractor is connected a bracket structure 34 to which is connected, by means of parallel links 35, a rear working structure 36 havin a working tool 3'! thereon. Similarly, there is on the bracket structure 34 on the rear of the tractor a fore and aft pivoted lever 38 connected to the lower parallel link by means of an adjustable lift rod 39 having a handle portion 40 accessible to the operators station 24. By means of this handle portion 40, an adjustment may be made of the rear working tool structure independently of the forward working tool structure.

The tractor 2i has the usual power plant 4| and a, longitudinally extending body portion 42. This body structure 42 includes an intermediate housing 43 in which are mounted parts of the fluid power arrangement to be described more in detail hereinafter. Extending from the housing 43 and pivoted thereon for fore and aft pivotal movement is a lifting arm 44 connected respectively with the Divotable levers 32 and 38 by means of horizontal lift rods 45 and 45, Adapted to be operated by the tractor motor is a fluid pump 4'! having communications with the intermediate housing 43 by means of e, communicating pipe 48. Within a fuel supply tank 49 there is a fluid reservoir housing 50 arranged for communication with parts within the intermediate housin 43 On a steering rod supporting post 53 is mounted a control lever 54 manually adjustable along a quadrant 55 for operating a lever 56 pivoted on the intermediate housing 43 and connected inside the housing with the parts of the fluid power arrangement in a manner brought out hereinafter. The connection of the lever 54 with the lever 56 is made by a rod 57 connected to the lower end of the lever 54. The lever 54 is pivoted at 58 on the quadrant 55.

Referring now particularly to Figure 2, there is shown an enlarged View of the intermediate housing 43 with a portion of the same broken away to show parts of th fluid power arrangement therein. This housing 43 is of sturdy construction since it is a part of the body portion which must withstand the usual strains common to tractors of this type. The lever 44 is pivoted to the upper portion of the housing 43 as indicated at 59 and has a lower end 60 to which is coupled a piston rod 61 of a fluid power or fluid operated arrangement or device 62 mounted within the housing and pivoted to the same as indicated at 63 in an inclined position. The lever 55 is likewise pivoted to the upper portion of the housing 42 as indicated at 64 and has a depending portion 65 which is connected to a longitudinally movable follower element 65 located on the fluid operated device 62, the function of which will be described hereinafter in connection with the description of the fluid operated device itself.

For the sake of compactness, the fluid communication pipes 48 are connected to the housing 43 as indicated at 61 and are in communication with corresponding pipe openings 68 and 69 formed through the housing 43. For further communication of the fluid from the passages 68 and 69, there is a communication block connected to the top part of the body housing 43. Fluid from the reservoir 56 is delivered through the pipe 52 and a coupling II to a passage within the block it] for delivery to the passage 68 and thence to the pump 41, Fluid is returned from the pump to the passage 69 under pressure and thence through the block 10 and a supply hose 12 which communicates with a distributing valve 13. From this distributing valve 13 fluid is delivered under pressure through a hose 14 to the fluid operated device 62. From the fluid operated device 62 the fluid flows through a hose 15 and the distributing valve i3 and thence through the vertical pipe 5! for return to the fluid reservoir 50 in th fuel tank 49.

As the fluid is distributed under pressure to the fluid operated device 62, the arms 44 on the intermediate housing 43 will be adjusted thereby fore and aft, and since the working tool structures on the forward and rearward portions of the tractor are connected to these arms, these working tool structures will be adjusted by the power of this fluid actuated device 62. The amount of movement of the working tools is limited only by the maximum stroke of the piston rod 6| whereby the working tools are moved from one extreme position to another extreme position with respect to the tractor. This movement of the working tool structure is initiated by the manual lever 54 0perated from the operators station .24 although it should b understood that the actual movement of the working tools is done by the power device itself. In a manner to be hereinafter described, the lever 54 can be set at any position on the quadrant 55, and this movement will be reflected in the valve control mechanism associated with the fluid power device 62 so that a corresponding movement of said power device and working tools will be had.

Referring now particularly to Figures 3, 4, and 5, a description will now be made of the fluid ac- '95 which is adapted to be secured to the cylinder v structure 18 with a partition plate 96 secured therebetween. This partition plate 96 has several fluid passing hole arranged for communication between respective other passages, as the passage 94, formed in respective flat faces of the valve tuated device 62 and of the valve mechanism therefor, and by assuming that fluid is already provided under pressure in the communicating hose coupling 14 for delivery to the fluid operated device 62. The communicating hose coupling 14 connects with the fluid operated device by means of a coupling 16 secured to the device by means of a clampin bolt ll. The fluid operated device 4 includes generally a cylinder housing 18 and a piston structure 19 secured to the inner end of the piston rod 6|. The piston rod is slidable through a cylinder head 80 which closes one end of the cylinder structure I8. The opposite end of th cylinder structure [8 has a head member 8| with a lug 82 serving to connect the device with the intermediate housing 43, as previously mentioned, at 63.

The piston structur 19 may be of any known type adapted for double acting cylinder devices, but in the present instance includes a ring 83 which fits over a narrowed portion 84 of the piston rod and is made fast thereto by a main piston element 35 threaded as indicated at 86 to the portion 84. Associated with this main piston element 85 are wiping rings 81 and 88, the former housing structure and of the cylinder structure 18. By using the partition plate 96 the difficult task of coring holes within castings is eliminated. The passages may be simply impressed or cast into flat or complementally fitting faces of the structures adapted to be seal-pressed together, and the fluid passages themselves are completed on opposite sides of the partition plate 96 by virtue of the same being secured therebetween. Hence, in the manufacture of the power device the necessity for coring of openings in order to provide passages for the fluid has been eliminated. All of this has lessened the cost of a more or less complicated structure and has brought the same within the price range of fluid-operated devices of the more simple type.

Referring now particularly to Figure 6, the fluid on entering the passages 92 and 93 is first communicated to a longitudinally extending cavity or impression 97 in the exposed flat face of the cylinder structure 16. From this impression 97 it may be delivered either through a hole 98 or a hole 99 in the plate 96. Assuming the fluid passes in the direction of the arrows through the hole 98, it comes into communication with the angled impression 94 in the valve housing 95. This valve housing 95 has four valves I00, l9l, H32, and I93 within chambers I94, I05, I96, and H31, respectively, of the valve structure 95. Fluid upon leaving the impression 9'! passes through the opening 98 in the plate 96 to the valve chamber m5 andpast the valve H, which is open, to the impression 94 on the face of the valve structure 95. From this impression 94 it is delivered through an opening H19 in the plate 96 to a pas sage I H] in the left-hand or front end of the cylinder structure from which it is discharged into the cylinder structure to act upon the piston 19.

For work to be performed upon the piston 19 there must be a release of fluid on the end of the piston opposite to that against which fluid is impressed for producing a work stroke. This is accomplished by fluid passing from the opposite end of the cylinder structure, corresponding to said opposite end of the piston, through a passage lll thereof, thence through an opening H2 in the plate 96 and for delivery to an angled impression H3 on the face of the valve structure 95. From this impression N3, the fluid passes the valve I92 for delivery to an intermediate T- shaped impression H4 in the valve structure 95. From this T-shaped impression H4 fluid passes through an opening H5 in the plate 96 to an impression H6 on the face of the cylinder structure, downwardly through a vertical passage H! to an outlet port H8. This outlet port H8 is in communication with a hose coupling J19 secured to the cylinder structure by means of a clamping in Figures 4 and 1, will be moved to the left or rearwardly to rock the arm for raising the working tools.

Should the piston 79 be projected forwardly 'orto the left, as viewed in Figure 6, when a lowering of the working tools is desired, the fluid will take a path through the valve structure as now to be described with reference to Figure 7. To .efiect movement of the piston to the left, referring .to Figure 7, the fluid which always enters the vertically extending opening 92 will be delivered through the long impression 91 to the opening 99 in the plate 95, instead of to the openin 98 of the plate 95, and then through the valve chamber I01, and past the valve I03 to the angled impression .I I3 for delivery through the opening H2 in the plate 96 to the passage III in the cylinder structure I8. From this passage III it is discharged into the cylinder structure to act upon the piston for effecting movement of the same to the left. Simultaneously with movement of the piston in this direction fluid leaves the cylinder structure from the opposite end of the piston and does so through the opening IIO, opening I09 in the plate 96, impression 94, piston valve I00, valve chamber I04, an opening I22 in the plate 96, and thence into an axially extending impression I23 in the cylinder structure 18 from which it passes through an opening I24 in the plate 95 to the T-shaped impression H4 in the valve structure 95. From the T-shaped impression I I4 the fluid discharge continues through the opening II5 to the impression H6 in the valve structure and thence downwardly through vertical openings I I! and I I8 to the return hose connection I5. It should now be apparent that valve mechanism has been provided for controlling the flow of fluid for moving the piston 19 in either of its reciprocal directions within the cylinder I8.

Referring now to Figure 5, a description of the valve arrangements I09 to I03 will be made with particular reference to the arrangement I00, since these four valve arrangements are identical. The valve I06 is cylindrical and is tapered on one end, as indicated at I25, for contact with a conical seat :I2'6 formed in the valve housing 95. For a portion of its length, adjacently to its tapered portion I25, the valve is of smaller diameter than the valve casing bore I 04 in which it is reciprocal, to provide a, passage for fluid around this portion of the valve upon the same being opened by the breaking of its contact with the seat portion I26. When the valve is closed, this smaller diameter portion of the valve, together with the valve casing bore I94, provides an annular fluid chamber I2! about the valve I00, and this chamber is in communication with certain of the holes as 98 and I00 formed in the plate 90.

Within the valve I00 there is a secondary ball valve I28 normally retained against its seat I 29 by a spring-pressed plunger I30 to the lower end of which is connected a compression spring I3I which reacts against a plug I32. This secondary valve is so designed in the valve I00 in order to provide an arrangement whereby the main valve I00 may be opened with the least expenditure of energy, thereby making possible the use of operating devices of minimum dimension for operating the valve. A hole I34 in the valve provides communication between the chamber I2! and a chamber I33 bounded in part by the valve seat I29. The chamber I33 has a narrow opening I35 in the upper part of the valve I00 through which fluid is transmittable to the upper part of the fluid-containing valve bore I04. Through this opening I35 there extends a vertical operating rod I36 which contacts the ball I29 and which, when pressed downwardly, serves to unseat the ball I28 from its contact I29 on the valve I00. As the ball I28 is unseated, fluid under pressure will at first pass upwardly through the narrow opening I35 until sufiicient back pressure is built up above the main valve I00 to materially contribute to the lowering of the same for breaking the contact of the tapered portion I25 with the valve seat I25. The downwardly displaced ball forces the plunger I30 downwardly, first an initial amount to bring the upper side of an oversize opening I 3! extending diametrically through the plunger into contact with a pin I3! traversing said opening and having its ends fastened in the valve member, I00. Then, after the building up of said back pressure above the valve member tending to slide it downwardly, comparatively little additional force applied downwardly through the rod I36, ball I23, plunger I30, and the cross-pin I31 is necessary to cause the valve member I00 to move downwardly to unseat it at I25 and thus provide direct communication between the annular chamber and the upper part of the valve casing bore I04.

As a means for operating the rods I36 there are provided plungers I39 reciprocally carried in a sealing block I40 through which the rod I36 extends. This sealing block I40 is located in the upper end of the valve casing bore I 04 and bears against a sealing element I4I. Pairs of the sealing blocks I40 are retained in place by respective plates I42 secured to the upper part of the valve housing by means of screws I43. The plungers I39 are normally retained vertically upwardly by the action of the spring I3I. The valves are arranged in pairs and from them there extend two of the control plungers I39 spaced axially of the cylinder structure I8 and accessible at the top of the valve structure 95. Each pair of plungers is controlled by a lever I44 pivoted on a pin I 45 supported by a lug I46 mounted on the plate I42. Each lever is alined longitudinally with the tops of its respective plungers I99 and as the same is rocked about its pivot pin I45 either one or the other of the two plungers I39 will be depressed against the action of the associated compression spring I3I.

Mounted on the upper side of the cylinder structure 18 for pivotal movement about an axis parallel with that of said structure is a main operating lever I41, Figures 1, 2, and 3, having a laterally extending arm I48. The pivotal connection is made to lugs I40 and I50 located respectively on the head members and SI of the cylinder structure, and by means of pins I5I and I52. This pivoted operating member I 41 there fore spans a substantial distance lengthwise of the cylinder structure.

The arm I48 has in its outer end a horizontally extending slot I53 adapted to receive a connecting element I54 having ball-shaped ends I55 for making universal joint connections respectively with the inner ends of the levers I44, the ball ends I55 being inserted within recesses I56 of the levers. As the lever I41 is rocked, the outer end of its arm I48 will move either upwardly or downwardly for pivoting the levers I44. If the arm I49 moves downwardly, the plungers I39 on the inner sides of the pins I45 will be depressed, whereas if the arm I48 is moved upwardly the plungers I39 at the outer sides of the pins I45 will be depressed. In either movement of the arm I48 one plunger I39 of each pair will be moved.

One form of means will now be described which employs cooperable and independently movable counterparts, respectively manually controlled and constrained for movement with the motor piston, for manipulating the valves in the motor casing in such a manner that the said piston or work member will be driven coordinately in direction and distance with the direction and distance of adjustment of a manual control member (54, Fig. 1) connected with the manually controlled counterpart. Another form is disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 516,470, filed December 31, 1943, for Fluid control apparatus.

On the pivoting operating structure I41 is a longitudinally extending rod I51, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, on which is slidable the adjustable stop or cam follower member 66 connected to the lower end of the lever 56 by means of a connecting link I59. This link I59 can thus be operated by the lever 56 to adjust the follower 66 along the rod I51, the lever 56 being connected to the manual adjustable lever 54. It will thus be apparent that movement of this follower 66 will be corresponding in amount to the amount of movement of the lever 54 over the quadrant 55.

Projecting laterally from the cylinder structure 18 is a guide pin I60 on which is supported the free end of an elongated cam I6I having a cam slot I62 through which the pin I69 extends. The projection I69 has a flared outer portion I63 to positively hold the .cam I6I against lateral deflection. The back end of the cam I6I is connected to the piston rod 6I as indicated at I64 whereby it will be movable with the. piston rod and piston 19. The cam slot I62 has an intermediate neutral portion I65 disposed angularly with respect to ofiset parallel portions I66 and I61. It will be observed that the cam follower element 66 is folded about the rod I51 to be adjustably slidable thereon and has two opposed depending portions I68 which straddle the cam I6I to support a pin I69 in the cam slot I62. This pin I69 is arranged to ride in the cam slot I62 so that as the manually controlled lever 54 is pivoted to adjust the cam follower 66 lengthwise of the rod I51, the pivoted structure or lever I41 will be pivoted on the pivot pins II and I52 to cause up or down movement of the arm I48, this being effected by the reaction of the pin I69 against the edges of the cam slot I62.

The normal position of the follower 66 is that shown in Figure 4 but as it is adjusted rearwardly or to the left the pin I69 will ride upwardly on the inclined neutral portion I65 to effect downward movement of the arm I48 so that the two inner plungers I39, Figure 5, will be operated. Should the operator move the follower so that the pin I69 moves downwardly along the neutral portion I65, the upper edge of the cam slot will pivot the structure I41 so that the arm I48 moves upwardly thereby operating the outer plungers I39. As this takes place the operation of the piston will begin and will not stop until the cam I6I has been moved so that the pin I69 is again in the center of the neutral or inclined portion I65 of the slot. If the cam follower 66 is moved to the left as viewed in Figure 4, the piston will move to the left until the portion I65 of the slot has returned the cam follower and the pivoted structure I41 to the neutral position. Similarly, if the cam follower 66 is moved to the right, the piston 19 would move to the right, assuming that it had not already been completely returned to the right side of the cylinder structure as viewed in Figure 4.

As the inner plungers I39 are depressed, the valves NH and I02 are opened as viewed in Figure 6, and fluid automatically flows as traced in Figure 6 to the port I I6 to act against the piston 19 to the right, or to the left as viewed in Figure 4. When the outer valves I 69 and I63 are depressed, the flow of fluid is as illustrated in Figure '7, that is, to the piston rod end of the cylinder structure to move the piston 19 to the left, or to the right as viewed in Figure 4.

The valve balls I28, in addition to serving as an initial opening means for the valve means as I06, also cooperate with the valve members I25 in providing flow rate stages in which such valve means may be operated and corresponding speed stages in which the force transmitter 19, Figure 4, and the part 31, Figure 1, areadjustable. When the valve means is operated in an initial stage in which the Valve stem I36 thereof is depressed far enough for unseating only the associated ball I26, only a small maximum amount of fluid can flow past the valve means for introduction into and exhaust from respective ends of the cylinder to incur relatively slow movement of the piston or force transmitter 19 and the tool or adjustable part 31. In certain installations such slight or micrometer adjustment of the tool is highly desirable, and in such installations it is,

also sometimes desirable to cause the tool to move at a relatively high rate of speed. With the present apparatus, the higher rate of movement is obtainable at will simply by moving the manual control lever to advance the cam fol1ower'66, Fi ure 4, in the direction the cam member I6I is being moved by the force transmitter 19 but at a greater speed, whereby the diagonal portion of the cam slot I62 will be effective for depressing the valve stems I36 of the already opened valves more distantly for likewise depressing the balls I28, the plungers I39, the pins I31 which will be thus ultimately engaged by the upper sides of the oversize openings I31 and hence the valve members I25 for unseating said members I25 from their seats I26 to place the valves in their second operating stage having the much increased flow rate. The flow rate in either range is variable according to the speed at which the manual control member is moved. For instance, while the apparatus is operating with only the balls I28 unseated, the distance they are unseated may be varied by slightly accelerating or decelerating the speed of the manually controlled finger grip lever 54. hence the piston speed may be kept constant by moving the manual control lever 54 at such uniform speed that keeps the pin I69, Figure 4, in fixed relation with the diagonal cam slot portion I65 in which it is rideable, that is, to move the pin I69 in the same direction and at the same speed at which the motor piston 19moves the cam member I6I. If the manual control lever is decelerated from this uniform speed, the cam member I6! will gain upon the pin I59 to allow the balls I28 to approach their seats, throttling the fuel flow and decreasing the piston speed. If the manual control lever is stopped, the neutral point of the diagonal slot in the cam member it! will immediately overtake the pin I58 to seat the balls I 28 and thus stop piston movement. Should the manual control lever be accelerated from said uniform speed, the pin I69 would be advanced with respect to the advancing diagonal cam slot portion I65 to further unseat the balls I28 from their seats I29 to increase fluid flow and piston speed. Thus, within a speed range variable from zero to a maximum determined by the flow capacity of the valve parts I28I29, the manual control lever 54 is manipulatable at slow speeds to select slow speeds of piston adjustment. This slow speed of the piston is so coordinated with the speed of the lever 54 as to create the sensation that the parts moved by the piston are moved efiortlessly by said lever. If the lever is accelerated, decelerated, or stopped, a like instantaneous response is incurred by the piston and the parts it drives. Because of the small flow capacity of the valve parts I28l29, the just explained force transmitter or piston movement control is tantamount to a Vernier adjustment.

The speed at which the manual control lever 54 is adjusted in either direction also controls the speed and direction of the motor piston during operation of the apparatus in the high speed range, that is, while valve members I25, Figure 4, are unseated from their seats I26. The upper limit of said range is determined by the flow capacity of the valve parts I 25I26 and the delivery capacity of the fluid source, and the speed within said range is selected by adjusting the distance the part I25 is unseated in the manner described above with respect to the balls I28. The control lever of course must be moved more rapidly while controlling the higher piston speeds. So

long as this higher speed range limit is not exceeded the piston movement will be instantaneously responsive to speed and direction of the manual control lever.

It is also important to note that the speed control is ideally responsive to the muscular reflexes of an operator since it is natural for him to move the control lever faster or slower as faster or slower movement of the motor piston is desired. This operating characteristic of the apparatus is further highly desirable when making micrometric adjustments when the natural inclination of an operator is to move the control lever with a degree of slowness corresponding to the exactness sought. Greater exactness is attainable in setting the piston when it is moved slowly.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 8 to 11, inclusive, there is shown the distributing valve arrangement to which fluid is delivered from the fluid supply pump source under pressure and distributed for supplying fluid to two different fluid-operated devices, only one of which is shown. In these tractor-mounted arrangements it is customary to have implements or working tools located at opposite sides of the tractors and it is desirous that these working tools be operable independently of each other. For this purpose there are often provided two different cylinder devices for actuating the different tools. As viewed. in Figure 8, it will be noted that there are two high pressure openings I10 and HI, The pressure opening I10 is for delivering fluid to the fluid-operating device 62, whereas the pressure opening I1I is for delivering fluid to a sec- 0nd fluid-operated device, not shown, for oper' ating tools on the other side of the tractor. Fluid is supplied to this distributing valve and to this high pressure opening through a vertically extending opening or duct I12. Fluid is delivered from the pump source to the duct I12 through an attached coupling I13 which connects the supply hose 12 to the distributing valve 13. The views in Figure 8 show the distributing valve opened to illustrate the ducts and openings in its two parts I14 and I 15, these views being elevational views of the individual parts I14 and I15 of which the latter is shown upside down in a position adapting the parts to be folded uptogether to form the composite distributing valve 13.

Fluid from the low pressure side of the fluid operated device or from the return hose coupling 15 is returned to the distributing device through openings I16 and I11. The opening I11 is utilized for adjusting working tools at the side of the tractor opposite to that shown in Figure 1. From this opening I11 the returning fluid will continue through a passage I18 in the distributing valve part I15 and thence upwardly through the pipe 5| to the reservoir 50.

Normally, fluid under pressure is delivered to the openings I10 and HI through a round opening I19 and a duct I (in the form of a groove in the flat face of the part E14) which extends between the two openings I10 and Ill. The path of fluid through the distributing valve is that taken by the arrows I8I. When fluid is not being delivered to the fluid-operated device 62, the pressure in the duct I12 reaches suflicient magnitude that the fluid flows vertically through said duct I12 to an opening I82 in the part I15 to react against and open a by-pass ball valve I83 which is normally retained against its seat I84 by a compression spring I85 and a Washer I86. Such fluid that by-passes this ball valve 82 will be delivered through a duct I81 to the duct I 18 and from there returned to the fluid reservoir. It should be particularly apparent at this time that fluid is kept under pressure within the high pressure passages I12 and I80 at all times and that from these passages fluid pressure is extended to the fluid operated device whereby fluid is provided under pressure at a location within the cylinder structure itself and within a short distance from the openings H0 and II I at the ends of the cylinder. In other words, fluid under pressure is always on tap for the fluid operated devices. This adds to the sensitivity of the fluid operated device and makes possible the use of the same for delicate adjustment of the working tools. The distributing valve parts I14 and I15 are held together by bolts I88 shown in section in Figure 8.

Associated on the quadrant 55 and pivoted at 58 is a gauge lever 21I This lever is such that it can be moved over the quadrant and selectively set thereon. Should the working tool be adjusted in its working position and later the same be raised to a position of transport on the tractor, said tool can be returned precisely to the said working position by returning the control lever to its initial position beside the lever 21L Thus, the lever 21I serves as a tell-tale stop against which the lever 54 can be set.

The present apparatus makes expedient use of fluid as a power transmitting medium for performing the actual work in manipulating and adjusting cumbersome or inaccessible parts or the like under remote manual supervision. Said apparatus is especially adapted for power control of the working tools on a tractor. The design and combination of the parts utilize high pressure fluid in a manner causing the remotely controlled .tools or the like to move substantially simultaneously with and precisely in accordance with the movement of the manual lever 54. Any delay of movement between the manual lever 54 and the working tool is practically imperceptible. In other words, the movement of the working tool is as instantaneous as if a hand-operated adjusting lever were directly connected therewith.

Another important advantage of the present fluid control is its automatic restoration of the force transmitter 19 to any position to which it has been set, should it drift from such position because of fluid leakage at some point in the system as along the cylinder wall from one side of the force transmitter to the other. Fortuitous drift- 111g of the force transmitter in either direction will incur a movement of the diagonal cam slot [65 relatively to the pin I69 therein for setting the valve means to reestablish the fluid distribution in the cylinder and thus correct the force transmitter setting. Automatic corrections of this kind will occur at intervals determined by the speed at which an impairment or imperfection of the system may allow drifting of the force transmitter.

While I have shown and described but a single preferred embodiment, it should be understood that many changes may be made in the construction, details and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention or sacrificing all of the advantages thereof. 7

What is claimed is: I 1. In a mechanical organization for the practice of a new tillage technique; a tractor; a tillage tool disposed on said tractor for movement between a lowered field tillage position and an elevated transport position and for depth adjustment within the tillage position; a power transmitting mechanism, said mechanism including a motor energized by power received from the tractor power plant, said motor being selectively energizable for moving a work member thereof in either of opposite directions and effective to lock said work member against movement excepting during such energization, said mechanism also including a control member movable in either of opposite directions to incur energization of said motor for moving its work member coordinately in direction and amount with the movement of such control member; and means connecting said work member with said tool to respectively raise and lower the same pursuant to the movement of the work member inopposite directions, whereby movement of the control member within one zone of its movement range will positively incur tool tillage depth adjustment correlated in either didectio-n and amount with the movement of said member and whereby movement of the control member into another zone of such movement range will incur movement of the tool into the transport position.

2. In a mechanical organization for the practice of a new tillage technique; a tractor, a tillage tool disposed on said tractor for movement between a lowered field tillage position and an elevated transport position and for depth adjustment within the tillage position; a hydraulic power transmitting mechanism including a hydraulic motor into which propelling liquid for driving the same is introduced by power obtained from the tractor power plant, said motor being drivable in opposite directions by respective modes of liquid introduction thereinto and being hydraulically lockable against drive in either direction by precluding egress of such liquid therefrom, valve means for controlling ingress and egress of the liquid with respect to the motor, said valve means being settable in a neutral condition to prevent such egress and alternatively settable in delivery conditions which cause the introduction of fluid into the motor for driving the same respectively oppositely, relatively movable valve means control counterparts of which one is manually operated and the other driven by the motor and cooperable for setting the valve means to cause the motor to eiTect drive in an amount and direction correlated with the amount and direction of movement of the manually operated counterpart and to hydraulically lock the motor as aforesaid following completion of eachcorrelated movement; and means operably connecting said motor with said tool to respectively raise and lower the same pursuant to drive of the motor in opposite directions, whereby movement of the manual counterpart within one zone of its movement range can positively inour tool tillage depth adjustment correlated in direction and amount with the movement of the manual counterpart and whereby movement of said counterpart into another zone of its movement range will incur movement of the tool into the transport position.

3. In a mechanical organization for the practice of a new tillage technique; a tractor; a tillage tool disposed on said tractor for movement between a lowered field tillage position and an elevated transport position and for depth adjustment within the tillage position; a hydraulic power transmitting mechanism comprising a pump driven by the tractor engine, a control member manually movable in selective opposite directions, a fluid-driven motor including a work member positively movable in either of opposite directions by selective directing of liquid into such motor from the pump and hydraulically lockable against movement in either direction at selective points in its path of movement by the trapping of liquid in said motor, valve means operable under control of said manual control member and of said work member to efiect such directing and trapping of the liquid, connecting means operably connecting said members with the valve means, said manual control member being operable through said connecting means to operate the valve means for directing the liquid into the motor to initiat an ensuing movement of the work member correlated in direction with the direction of the control member movement, the work member being operable through said connecting means to operate the valve means for hydraulically locking the said work member incident to its said ensuing movement reaching an amount correlated with the amount of control member movement; and means connecting said work member with said tool for raising and lowering the same pursuant to movement of said work member in its respectively opposite directions, whereby movement of the control member within one part of its movement range will positively incur tool tillage depth adjustment correlated in either direction and amount with the movement of such control member and whereby movement of the control member into another part of its movement range will incur movement of the tool into the transport position, and said 15' connecting means between the valve means and said control member being constructed and arranged to accommodate instantaneous manual movement of the control member selectively in its range in advance of the ensuing correlated movement of the tool at a speed functional of liquid delivery to the motor.

4. In a mechanical organization for the practice of a new tillage technique; a vehicle having an associated power plant from which power is obtained for propulsion of such vehicle across a tillable field; a tillage tool on said vehicle for movement between transport and soil-working positions and for depth adjusting movement within the soil-working position; and a hydraulic system for effecting and controlling such tool movements, comprising a hydraulic pump driven from said power plant, a fluid-driven motor including a work member connected with said tool and movable in opposite directions to respectively lower and raise the same, said Work member being subjectable to liquid columns at opposite sides thereof to alternately drive the same in opposite directions by the alternate application to said columns of the pressure of liquid from said pump while the other of said columns is allowed to exhaust, and valve means disposed between said pump and said motor, said valve means comprising independently movable counterparts disposable in a neutral setting relatively to one another to condition the valve means for preventing exhaust of either of said liquid columns from the motor to thus hydraulically lock said work member, one of said counterparts being manually movable from the neutral setting to manipulate the valve means for selectively subjecting said liquid columns to the pumped liquid while connecting the nonsubjected column with exhaust, and the other of said counterparts being connected for movement with the work member in its ensuing movement to reestablish the neutral setting of said counterparts upon movement of the work member and tool an amount correlated with the amount and direction of movement of the manually moved counterpart.

5. In a mechanical organization for the practice of a new tillage technique; a tractor; a tillage tool disposed on said tractor for movement between a lowered field tillage position and an elevated transport position and for depth adjustment Within the tillage position; a hydraulic power transmitting mechanism including a hydraulic motor into which propelling liquid for driving the same is introduced by power obtained from the tractor power plant, said motor being drivable in opposite directions by respective modes of liquid introduction thereinto and being hydraulically lockable against drive in either direction by the preclusion of egress of such liquid therefrom, valve means for controlling ingress and egress of the liquid with respect to the motor, said valve means being settable in a neutral condition to prevent such egress and alternatively placeable in delivery conditions which cause the introduction of liquid into the motor for driving the same respectively oppositely, said valve means including successively operable stages of relatively small and large flow capacity and being controllable to vary the rate of flow in each stage, and valve-operating means including a manual component manipulatable for placing the valve means in selected of said delivery conditions to determine the direction of motor drive and a component driven by the motor for resetting the valve means to the neutral condition, said valve-operating means components being cooperable for rendering the flow capacity stages of either delivery condition as Well as the flow rate within the selected stage selective under control of said manual component for causing the motor to drive at desired speeds in direction and distance correlated with the speed, direction, and distance of the manual component manipulation; and means operably connecting the motor with said tool to raise and lower the same pursuant to and in accordance with the speed and distance of drive of the motor in its respective opposite directions.

CARL W. MOTT. 

